How much of everything?

[Bex]

Following on from Jennies post on most economic fruit/veg thread, its got me thinking, from the general concensus on Jennies thread a couple of courgette plants should be all I need but what about everything else?

I am planning for my first season and I've got two plots 10 x 20 metres each. We love every type of veg so I was planning to grow a bit of everything but I'm not sure on plant quantities. I don't want to grow too little or too much and end up throwing stuff away. So if, for example, a tomato plant is really happy what should the average crop be? Is there a website that will tell me this info, the seed packets just say 'good cropper'.

I hope this makes sense.

Forgot to say that there is just myself and my two sons who I hope to feed as organically as possible.

[dexterdoglancashire]

Hi Bex! not sure if this answers your question but, this being my first year I sowed far too many seeds - of everything! all at the same time!
planning to plant just a few every couple of weeks so that I have a continuous crop later.
I reckon one, maybe two courgettes will be sufficient, the same for squash.
I had four outdoor tomato plants and two greenhouse which were fine for me and OH.
I had two chilli plants - again sufficient for us both.
My 10' x 3ft plot I had around 6 rows of tatties in (too close!) but they've come up trumps and we've been eating tatties every since the new ones started - got enough for another couple of weeks!
Hope this helps! DDL

[Bex]

It does help, thanks DDL.
I know I won't get it all right straightaway but I'm going to try my hardest to make this work.

Going to sign for my second plot tomorrow, as our plots are only small 10 x 20metres and the one next door is empty.

If I get too much I've got people queued up to each it.
Thanks

[Waffler]

What I'd suggest Bex, if it's possible is maybe doing a plant swap with other gardeners. That way, you won't have to sow 2 courgette seeds and 5 tom seeds etc. which will result in seeds ageing in open packs. It also means you can have a variety of a given veg; for example, if you sow a whole pack of plum tom seeds and someone else sows cherry toms, you can split them and have toms for different purposes or simply with different tastes.
There are only 2 of us and I end up growing far too much and giving loads away, with plenty spare to store usually.

[bramble]

Hi Bex and welcome, when it comes to sowing lettuce just sow a small ammount every fortnight as you don't want them all to mature together and also they will go to seed. Little and often is the way forward. Don't forget, you can also grow Tumbler toms in hanging baskets. Tiny, but full of sweetness. Good luck. if you need any more advice be sure to ask as we are also all still learning from each other.

[nick the grief]

Hi Bex, have a look on the new starters page of our lottie website, it has a sheet from Gardening which that gives expected yelds etc that may well answer your questions.

[Bex]

Thanks Nick, that is just the ticket, I knew there would be something somewhere on the net.

[dexterdoglancashire]

Good idea Waffler! If I do get a lottie, if and when, I should say, will give that a try! DDL

[Waffler]

I'm full of fantastic ideas - just don't follow them myself!! LOL

[Alice]

Hello Bex, it really all depends on what you are trying to do. Do you just want to grow enough to have veg in season, or are you trying to produce enough to store or freeze to get you right through the year.
I find 1 courgette plant per person in the house will give you all you want to eat and some to freeze.
I plant about 9 lettuce seeds every 2 weeks and never run out of lettuce.
I plant spring onions, radish and carrots every month to keep me going.
I grow my potatoes in buckets and can keep gowing on 1 bucket per week if I use pasta and rice to suplement the carbs.
This year I had 8 runner bean plants and we had all we could eat and plenty for the freezer.
I had 8 outdoor tomatoe plants - Gartenperle - and have had all the tomatoes we could eat since July plus tomatoe sauces, soup etc. I picked the last 12 pounds yesterday. Most of it going for pasata for soup etc.
I have 1 pepper (capsicum) plant which still has 14 peppers on it. I think I would go for 2 or 3 plants next year.
My squash did about 3 squash per plant - ok(had 3 plants)
Hope this helps in some way. You will work it all out yourself. One big tip. Write it all down so that you can check on successes and failures. You think you will remeber - but you won't. Happy gardening and good luck.